My buddy and I used to hunt the area for the best playgrounds. We looked for parallel bars and pull up bars specifically. These were gems. Some schools removed their entire playground if one child fell and got injured. So this was not as easy to find as it sounds. The back of my truck usually had a sandbag, a few Kettlebells and maybe a sled or prowler. Those training sessions were powerful and effective. They were TOUGH. Now, being in my 40s, I find that more calisthenics and … [Read more...]
Is DAILY Bodyweight Training Effective & Safe For Muscle & Strength Gains?
This started all the way back in 1989. Every time I passed a pull up bar or anything I could grab on to over head, I banged out pull ups. This became a daily practice. Same for push ups. Push Ups for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guess what happened? … [Read more...]
Inside The Underground Strength Gym | Training Like a Wrestler, Even If You Don’t Wrestle!
"When you finally decide how successful you really want to be, you’ve got to set priorities. Then, each and every day, you’ve got to take care of the top ones. The lower ones may fall behind, but you can’t let the top ones slip. You don’t forget about the lower ones though because they can add up to hurt you. Just take care of the top ones first. In 25 years as a head coach and assistant, I think I might have missed one practice. Why? Because practice is my top priority. A day doesn’t go by … [Read more...]
Bodyweight Bodybuilding Inspiration Winners
This is TOUGH! ALL the videos from The Bodyweight Bodybuilding Inspiration Contest moved me, inspired me and some really touched my heart. During these inspiration contests I realize how tough it is to choose just one prize winner. This is when being "The Judge" kinda sucks, ha ha The last few hours of the inspiration contest we must have gotten 20 or so video submissions for The Bodyweight Bodybuilding Inspiration Contest. It was a whirlwind of people submitting videos last … [Read more...]
Convict Conditioning Interview with Coach Paul Wade
The Edmonton SUN newspaper interviewed Coach Paul Wade, Author of The Convict Conditioning Workout. Check out the interview below to hear how and why Paul Wade became so obsessed with bodyweight training and transformed his mind and body in one of the deadliest prisons known to man. Enjoy.... Being fit and strong wasn’t an option during the 19 years that Paul (Coach) Wade spent in prison. It was a necessity. “I needed what I got from my training to stay sane, maybe even stay … [Read more...]
How to Use HEAVY Bodyweight Training & Pulling Power for Brute Strength
I recall having a phone call with Joe DeFranco and he was telling me how one of his Coaches / former athletes, Mike Guadango, was regularly doing heavy, HEAVY 1 rep sets for pull ups. Mike was also performing heavy recline rows with over 100 lbs on a weight vest for sets of 1 - 3 reps. It got me thinking differently about my Bodyweight training and I began looking to turn my Bodyweight training into a system, just like Westside Barbell implements the Conjugate System, with days focused on … [Read more...]